Perfect Pancetta Roast Shallot Stuffed Turkey Food

TURKEY-PANCETTA ROULADE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic and fennel seeds and cook until the shallot is slightly soft, 2 minutes. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Lay the turkey, skin-side down, on a cutting board. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet until it's about 8 by 12 inches and 1/4 inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap and season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Cut four 12-inch pieces of kitchen twine. Spread the garlic mixture evenly over the turkey. Arrange the pancetta on top in an even layer, then sprinkle with the parsley. Starting from a long side, roll up the breast and tie gently with the twine. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Put the stuffed turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan and pour 1 cup water into the pan. Roast until the skin is golden, about 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and roast until the skin is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey registers 155 degrees F to 160 degrees F, about 10 more minutes.
• Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest at least 30 minutes before slicing. (If making ahead, let cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap, unsliced, and refrigerate up to 2 days.) Make the sandwiches: Drizzle the cut sides of the rolls with olive oil. Sandwich the provolone and turkey in the rolls and drizzle the meat with any pan drippings.
• Stand the corn upright in a large bowl when slicing off the kernels so they don't scatter all over the counter.

PERFECT PANCETTA & ROAST SHALLOT-STUFFED TURKEY

Steps:

• Up to two days ahead, season the bird all over with flaky sea salt - inside and out and under the skin. Leave the turkey in the tin, breast-side up, and put in the fridge for up to two days; the longer you salt it, the more succulent it will be. Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time by allowing 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, then 45 mins for every additional kg. As a guide, a turkey of this size should take 3½-4 hrs plus 30-45 mins resting.
• To make the butter, mash the garlic with the thyme, lemon zest and a pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar, then beat in the butter until well mixed. Can be prepared up to two days ahead and chilled.
• Gently push your fingers under the skin of the turkey, starting from the neck, until you can push your whole hand down the length of the breast - take care not to tear the skin. Spread the butter under the skin so that it covers the breast meat, reserving 1 tbsp butter for the shallots. Lay the pancetta (or bacon) on your work surface in two rectangles of six overlapping slices. Carefully push each rectangle under the skin to cover and protect each breast. This can be done the night before; take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hr before roasting to bring it back to room temperature.
• On the day, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Tip the whole shallots into a bowl with the thyme, bay and remaining 1 tbsp butter, then season and toss to coat. Lift the turkey into a roasting tin, massage the olive oil into the skin and season well if you haven't already seasoned ahead. Tip the shallots into the roasting tin, around the turkey, and stuff the lemon halves into the cavity. Cover the tin loosely with foil and roast for the calculated cooking time.
• For the final 30 mins, remove the foil and pour off all of the cooking juices (reserve them for the gravy). Spoon the shallots into the cavity and increase the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roast for the final 30 mins until the turkey is golden and the thigh juices run clear when pierced with a skewer, or until a digital cooking thermometer reads over 70C. Leave the turkey to rest on a warm platter covered with foil - it will stay warm for about 1 hr. If you want to make turkey gravy, pour the fat off the juices and add the gravy to the roasting tin. Bring to the boil, then pour into a gravy jug. To serve, bring the whole turkey to the table, along with the herbs, if using. Carve onto a hot platter with a little of the hot gravy poured over. Any leftover meat can be frozen in the gravy, or used in leftovers.

TRADITIONAL ROAST STUFFED TURKEY

Steps:

• Tear the bread into pieces, and place back into the bags overnight.
• Dice the onion, and leave covered on the counter.
• The next day, saute the diced onion in margarine, stir in sage and chicken broth.
• Place the bread pieces in a large mixing bowl, pour most of the onion mixture onto the bread and stir.
• The stuffing has enough moisture when you can squeeze a handful, and when opening your hand, the stuffing stays in a loose ball. If it falls apart, add a little more onion mixture.
• If it is soggy and squeezes together tightly, add a little more bread pieces.
• If the bird has skin which is binding it's legs together, cut this.
• Rinse the bird, remove and discard heart, neck etc. and pat the insides to remove some of the moisture.
• Push the stuffing into the carcass,until you cant' get anymore in, overstuffing the bird as seen in the picture. The tighter you push it in, the moister the stuffing will be.
• Stuff the neck cavity.
• If you have leftover stuffing, that is a good thing. Place it in a sprayed crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
• Wrap the legs and wings with foil, they will cook quickly.
• Put a piece of loose foil over the entire bird.
• Roast at 325°F for about 3 hours.
• Remove all of the foil, setting it aside and roast for another hour.
• If the turkey does not have a pop up timer, use a meat thermometer.
• When done, set the turkey out on the counter and cover loosely with the foil, let it stand 20 minutes for a moist bird.
• Remove the stuffing from the bird and mix it in with the crock pot stuffing.
• Carve the turkey and serve on a platter.
• Enjoy this time honored tradition with your loved ones.
• You may use more or less sage, according to your tastes.